Cadillac Plans to Offer 10 Different Models by 2021

Half of them will be crossovers.

Johan de Nysschen is really making a name for himself as the "luxury car whisperer." After pulling Audi out of an imminent demise in the 1990s and 2000s, he played a crucial role in the recent rework of Infiniti. Now, he has his sights set on Cadillac. According to Automobile, this will come in the form of vastly improved design, quality, and ownership experience. By 2020, Cadillac intends to invest $800 million in its "U.S. retail organization"—presumably, that alludes to their recently unveiled BOOK by Cadillac subscription car service that grants members access to Cadillac's entire product line on-demand, all-inclusive, for $1,500 a month.

In terms of design, I predict future Caddies to be quite the lookers, if the gorgeous Escala concept car revealed last year is anything to go by. Lineup-wise, analysts predict a whopping ten distinct models to be available by 2021, following the alphanumeric naming system already set into place with the existing CT6 full-size sedan and XT5 crossover. Following the practices of the German marques, the first and second sections of model names will denote body style and size, respectively. Notable exception here being the Escalade truck/blingmobile. According to analysts, a likely 2021 Cadillac lineup would consist of crossovers XT1, XT3, XT5, XT7, the Escalade full-size SUV, and sedans CT1, CT3, CT5, CT6, CT8.

Furthermore, de Nysschen plans on growing Cadillac in the Chinese market and eventually introducing electric-driven Caddies using GM's inroads with plug-in hybrid and EV technology. Speaking on plans to grow Cadillac in Europe, he had this to say: “I don’t expect big numbers. Instead, I see Cadillac as a profitable boutique luxury brand in Europe. We are consciously going down different avenues from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.”

With de Nysschen's track record, a revolutionary subscription sales model, and a much stronger, broader lineup in the pipeline, Cadillac looks to become a much more prominent player in the luxury car space in the coming years.